Two Southeastern Contests Slated For Southland TV Network

FRISCO, Texas - After making one appearance last season on the Southland Conference Television Network, Southeastern Louisiana is slated for a pair of football telecasts as the league released its 2009 schedule on Tuesday.

The league announced that Southeastern's Oct. 24 game at McNeese State along with the Lions' Nov. 19 contest at home against arch-rival Nicholls State are slated to be on the 11-game broadcast schedule.

"We're very excited about the second season of Southland Network programming," Burnett said. "The league had more total television productions in 2008-09 than ever before, and the Network will feature even more live football this year."

After a well-received first year of broadcasting, the second season of Southland Conference Television Network programming will feature more than 30 live events, in 2009, Burnett announced.

The 11-game football broadcast schedule begins with the Sept. 3 season-opener, a Thursday evening contest between Western Illinois and Sam Houston State. That will be followed by the North Dakota at Northwestern State game on Sept. 19, and the Texas Southern at Texas State contest on Sept. 26. The Conference opener featuring McNeese State at Stephen F. Austin will be broadcast on Oct. 10, and SFA will be featured again at Central Arkansas on Oct. 17.

After the Southeastern-McNeese State game, the league will televise Northwestern State at Sam Houston State game on Oct. 31, the Texas State at Central Arkansas tilt on Nov. 7, and the McNeese State at Texas State contest on Nov. 14. The Network will again broadcast a "wildcard" game on the last regular-season date, Nov. 21, determining the matchup later as the conference race develops. All televised games will kickoff at 6 p.m. CST.

The Network, which was an unknown quantity a year ago, quickly blossomed into an exciting and valuable programming option for local television stations and cable systems, as well as national cable and satellite subscribers.

"We could have never imagined the fantastic response the Network has received from our affiliates, sponsors and viewers during the first year," Burnett added. "It's obvious that this is desired programming, and we look forward to televising more and more.

Jeff Watts Productions (JWP) of Fort Worth, Texas, will again serve as the lead production company for the Southland Network. JWP began operations in 1986, and during the last two decades has created more than 1,000 original programs, including sports, travel, outdoors and corporate marketing programs.

The Southland Network expects to announce affiliate agreements in the coming weeks. Additionally, broadcast schedules for basketball and other sports will be released at a later date.